Wrench



C. A. MclLVAINE.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2 5, 1921.

1.9 3, 8 34k Patented. Jan. M 1922.,

W I I [O C. A .Mcfi. l/A l/VE.

v By v ATTORNEYS e e FE'R c We in l ,1 xiv it i has al warmer:

Application'filed June a 1921. Serial no.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, CLoYn A. MoILvAiNn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Balboa Heights, Gnal Zone, Panama. have invented a new and Improved Wrench, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches, an object of the invention being to provide improved means for moving the movable jaw of the wrench so as to effectually grip the nut or permit a release of the after the initial adjustment of the wrench is made.

ltis a well-known fact that in the use of wrenches, even after the movable jaw has been adjusted, there is a slight play between the jaws and the nut to allow the wrench to be removed from the nut and take a new hold. If the adjustment of the jaws is too tight, they must be released before the wrench can be released from the nut and this results in a loss of time. If the jaws are too far apart, the resultisreither an accidental removal from the nut or an injury to thenut by slipping thereon, and it is the purpose of my invention to provide a wrench having a movable jaw and having means for controlling the movable jaw after adjustment so as to permit a quick'grip and release of the nut.

A further object is to provide a wrench with an improved construction and arrangement of thumb or finger lever which operates as a cum to impart movement to the movable jaw and which may be locked in its extreme position .to lock the jaws on the nut as occasion may requlre.

lVith these and other ob ects 111 view, the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illus trating vmy improved wrench and showing theoperating lever in one extreme position;

' Figure 2 is a similar view partly in longitudinal section showing the lever in its other extreme and locked position;

Figure 3 is an edge view; and

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section on the line 4.% of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings 1 represents the shank of my improved wrench Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 119, 133222.

which is provided with a fixed jaw 2 at one end and a handhold 3 at the opposite end. A movable jaw 4 mounted to slide on the shank is adjustable by a screw 5 journaled in and extending through an abutment 6 fixed to the shank 1. A knurled nut 7 on the lower end of the screw 5 is normally held in spacedrelationship to the'under face of the abutment by a coiled spring 8 around the screwbetween a shoulder 9 in the abutment and the nut T.

It is obvious that the adjusting screw may be operatively connected to the movable jaw 111 any approved manner and in fact I do not limit myself means as my invention is broad enough to cover any means for establishing the initial ad ustment of the jaw.

'1 hardened metal disc 10 of a pocket ll fits in the bottom on the under face of the nut 7 and an annular groove 12 is formed in the under face of the nut around the pocket.

The handheld 3 is recessed, as indicated at 13 to expose the shank 1 which is formed with a dove-tail groove let receiving a tenon 15 on a bifurcated bracket 16. I

A lever 17 is pivoted adjacent one end in the bracket 16 ona pin 18 and a stud 19 extending inwardly through one arm of the bracket cooperates with a slot 20 in the lever to limit the swinging movement thereof.

r lt its free end, the lever 17 is formed with a lateral extension 21 having a convexly curved cam face forming a continuation of the curved face of the free end of the lever. This curved surface acts as a cam to move the aw llongitudinally against the action of the spring 8 and is formed with a groove, 22 which serves as a runway or contact surface for a ball bearing 23 seated in the pocket 11.

The extension 14 may be accommodated in a recess 2% in the shank 1 when the-lever is swung inwardly against the shank. A bow spring 25 carried by the lever and engageable with the shank tends to hold the free end of the lever away from the shank. The lever, however, may be lockedin inwardly swung position against the action of. the spring 25 by a sliding locking arm 26 mounted on the lever and engageable in the groove 12.

It will be noted that the particular means of securing the bracket 16 to the shank 1 ransmitted from the movable jaw when the to any particular adjusting' Q When it wrenchis used to turn a nut. The rolling contact between the screw and cam surface obvlates the danger of the lever sticklng rapid release of the wrench nut;

The operation of the wrench is as'follows:

The screw 0 is utilized to adjust the movable aw 4: to a position for normal engagement jaws from a with a nut. 1 The operator'then grasps the handheld 3 and engages the lever 17 with his fingers. exercising a grip of hishand, he swings the lever'lTon the-pin 18 cans ing the cam surface at the free end of the lever to press against the hall 23, forcing the screw and movable aw toward the fixed j aw thereby securely gripping the nut and permitting an effectual turningthereof. is 'desired'to take a new hold on the pressure on the lever 17 is the nut the aws of the wrench removed released,

from the nut and repositioned andithe lever againlgrippedto cause the jaws to tightly grip the. nut.

j Whenever itis desired to grip the j aws, in a fixed frelatlon on the nut, the lever 17 1s swung inwardly against the shank 1 and the arm 26 is moved into locking relation with the groove 12, as indicated n Figure 2. Th s will permit the wrench'to be swung or spun with the nut.-' It will be noted that the lever; 17 and the handhold 3 constitute a combined grip so that the lever is sensitive to the movement of the fingers and thewrench can beconveniently operated by one 'hand and quickly manipulated for all ordinary uses. I

Although I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement'of the parts described without departing from the invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slightchanges and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaimz' H 1. In a wrench, a shank, a fixed jaw at one end of the shank, a movable aw slidable on the shank, an abutment fixed to the shank, a spring held screw journaled in the-abutment and operatively connected to the movable aw for actuating the same, and means having rolling engagement withthe screw for moving said jaw against the action of the spring. r

2. In a wrench, a shank, a fixed jaw at one end of the shanlna movable jaw slidable on the shank, an abutment fixed to the shank, a spring held screw journaled in the abutlever in its extreme position.

' engageable with the screw for movingsaid when it is swung inwardly and permits 'aw a ainst the action of the s' I'lI1 .SLl(l.

nieans including a pivoted lever having a cam face, and means providing a roller the spring held screw.

contact between said face and one end of 8. In awrenoh, a shank, afixed jaw on the shank, amovable jaw. on the shank, an

abutment-fixed to theshank, a spring held i screw'extending throughtheabutment and operatively connected. to the movable"jasw,

'abrac'ket fixed to theshank, a lover pivoted in the bracket and including a grooved cam face adjacent its free end, said screw having a pocket therein, ball bearing in the pocket contacting with the grooved cam face. i

4E. Ina wrench, a shank, a fixed-jaw on operatively connected to the movable jaw; a bracket fixed'to the shank, a leverpivoted in the bracket and including a grooved cam face adjacent itsifree end, said screw having a pocket therein,.a ball bearing in the pocl'ret. COTltlCtHl" 'Wltl'1' the groovedcamlface, said shankbemg recessed. to accommodate said lever infits extreme position, means for locking said lever in its extreme position 5, In ,afwrench, a shank, a fixed'jaw on the shank, a movable jaw on the shank, an abutment fixed to the'shank, a spring held screw extending through the abutment and operatively connected to the movable. jaw,

a bracket fixed to the shank, a lever pivoted in the bracket and including a grooved cam" face ad acent ltsfl'fi end, said screw hav-I ing a pocket therein, a ball bearing in the pocket contacting with the grooved cam face, said shank being recessed to accomodate said lever in. its extreme position,-said screw having a groovetherein around the pocket, a locking arm mounted'to slide in the lever and engageable in the groove tolock 6. In a-wrench, a shank, a fixed atone 7 end of thershank, a movable jaw slidable on the shank, a handle on' the shank, an abut-l ment fixed to the shank, a spring held screw journaled in the abutmentand operatively connected to the movable aw for ini ially adjusting the same, alever pivoted at one end 111 the handle and includmg a cam surface at its free end, and means whereby swinging of the free end of the lever toward the handle further tightens the jaws against the actionof the spring. V V OLOYD A. McI LVAINE 

